Abstract:

The present invention refers to a multipurpose plastic bottle made in one
reusable piece which is provided with the means for conversion to objects
which may be kept by the user. It comprises an upper belt and a lower
belt formed by pairs of circular rings connected round the whole profile
of the bottle with the connection of both pairs of rings defined by a
cutting guide for separating the bottle in an upper section, a mid
section and a lower section. The multipurpose plastic bottle which is the
object of the invention belongs to the technical sector of plastics,
specifically to the plastic industry relating to manufacture of bottles
designed to hold liquids for mass distribution and consumption. The
products to be bottled are soft drinks, sodas, drinking water, cooking
oils and domestic cleaning products.

Claims:

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A plastic multipurpose bottle made in one piece, comprising an upper
belt (5) and a lower belt (7) formed by pairs of circular rings (3, 4, 8,
9) connected around the profile of the bottle, with a cutting guide (17)
defining a connection of both pairs of rings (3, 4, 8, 9) for separating
the bottle into an upper section (11), a mid section (12) and a lower
section (13) characterised in that the upper section (11) comprises a lid
(2) and the upper ring (3) of the upper belt (5) and the lower section
(13) comprises a container (10) and above the lower ring (9) of the lower
belt (7) being joinable the lower ring (3) of the lid (2) and the upper
ring (9) of the container (10) forming a bottle made up of both elements.

17. The plastic multipurpose bottle made in one piece, according to claim
16, characterised in that the connection of the rings (3, 9) is produced
in an easy manner.

18. The plastic multipurpose bottle made in one piece, according to claim
16, characterised in that the connection of the rings (3, 9) is produced
in a firm manner.

19. The plastic multipurpose bottle made in one piece according to claim
16, characterised in that the lid (2) comprises a screw closure (1).

20. The plastic multipurpose bottle made in one piece according to claim
16, characterised in that the lid (2) is provided with printed material
on its external surface.

21. The plastic multipurpose bottle made in one piece, according to claim
16, characterised in that the mid section (12) comprises a skirt (6) and
above the lower ring (4) of the upper belt (5) and below the upper ring
(8) of the lower belt (7).

22. The plastic multipurpose bottle made in one piece according to claim
21 characterised in that the mid section (12) is provided with printed
material with labels and bar code for the product it contains.

23. The plastic multipurpose bottle made in one piece according to claim
16, characterised in that the mid section (12) is discarded.

24. The plastic multipurpose bottle made in one piece according to claim
16, characterised in that the container is a traditional glass (14).

25. The plastic multipurpose bottle made in one piece according to claim
16, characterised in that the container is a storage receptacle (15).

26. The plastic multipurpose bottle made in one piece according to claim
16, characterised in that the container (10) may have any shape and
appearance.

27. The plastic multipurpose bottle made in one piece according to claim
16, characterised in that the container (10) is provided with printed
material on its external surface.

[0002]The present invention refers to a multipurpose plastic bottle made
in one reusable piece which, when empty, is provided with the means for
conversion to a useful object to be kept by the user.

[0003]The bottle is designed to enable a considerable proportion of its
plastic structure to be immediately recycled for further use once the
content of the bottle has been consumed, thus automatically ensuring a
considerable positive impact on the environment. This means that large
quantities of plastic bottles would be partially recycled daily by the
end user in their own home. This domestic recycling would drastically
reduce the volume of plastic waste generated by the effects of normal
human activity.

[0004]The plastic bottle which is the object of the invention comprises an
upper belt and a lower belt formed by pairs of connected circular rings
round the whole profile of the bottle with the connection of both pairs
of rings defined by a cutting guide for separating the bottle in an upper
section and mid section and a lower section.

[0005]The multipurpose plastic bottle which is the object of the invention
belongs to the technical sector of plastics, specifically to the plastic
industry relating to manufacture of bottles designed to hold liquids for
mass distribution and consumption. The products to be bottled are soft
drinks, sodas, drinking water, cooking oils and domestic cleaning
products.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0006]In our present society liquids are bottled distributed, sold and
consumed daily in millions of plastic bottles in most countries of the
world. These liquids, normally distributed and sold in massive
quantities, may be divided into two categories: drinkable and
non-drinkable. Drinkable liquids usually consist of soft drinks, sodas,
beer, drinking water, juices and domestic cooking oils. Non-drinkable
liquids are mainly cleaning liquids for domestic use, washing additives
and liquid soaps.

[0007]Currently, the great majority of these liquids are packaged and sold
in conventional plastic bottles formed by a single complete plastic unit.

[0008]In the plastics industry, complete plastic bottles are manufactured
in two ways: by the PET method (polyethylene terephthalate) and plastic
injection method (HDPE).

[0009]At the present time both the PET and plastic injection methods are
used to manufacture plastic bottles complete in one single part.

Technical Problem Proposed

[0010]Conventional plastic bottles are designed to be thrown away
completely once their content has been consumed, and this concept of
using and discarding wastes a considerable amount of energy and
materials, thus generating a negative impact on the sustainability of
human activity and the environment.

[0011]Some printed labels on plastic bottles recommend throwing away the
bottle once its content has been consumed and they also advise against
filling the bottle even if it has contained drinking water. Discarded
plastic bottles represent a high percentage of plastic waste collected
daily by the health authorities. Conventional plastic bottles generate
large a volume and weight of solid waste.

[0012]Discarded plastic bottles normally have a screw closure in its
position. A conventional plastic bottle with its screw closure in
position is a hermetic container and full of air, and therefore it is
very difficult to compact when handling solid waste, thus generating an
additional volume problem. This means that large amounts of discarded
plastic bottles represent a daily problem of plastic volume for the
health authorities in handling and managing solid waste. If we add to the
previous negative consequences the incorrect manner of discarding them in
containers which have not been specifically designed for that purpose,
the problem is aggravated.

[0013]Municipal governments and authorities annually spend large amounts
of material and economic resources on promoting recycling in general. In
the specific case of conventional plastic bottles, this promotion is
mainly aimed at educating and creating awareness in the population of how
to correctly dispose of complete plastic bottles and the appropriate
place for discarding them.

[0014]A conventional plastic bottle is not designed for any future use
once its content has been consumed. This means that when it is empty the
end user has no alternative but to throw away the plastic bottle.

[0015]The plastic bottle which is the object of this invention has been
designed to provide a solution to the above mentioned problems. The main
objective of this invention is that of converting the empty plastic
bottle into two useful objects, which are practical and attractive to the
consumer, such as container and lid.

[0016]It has been proven that the best way in which to recycle is for the
consumer to immediately reuse an original container without any further
additional process required to treat or recycle the waste product.

[0017]Instant recycling directly in the home, of a high proportion of the
plastic content of a plastic bottle would generate many benefits for the
sustainability of society and the environment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018]The present invention refers to a type of plastic bottle designed to
convert the bottle used to hold liquids into two useful objects when the
bottle contents have been consumed. The plastic bottle which is the
object of this invention is designed to hold all types of drinkable and
non-drinkable liquids except for those which are extremely toxic.

[0019]The structure of the plastic bottle which is the object of the
invention comprises an upper belt and a lower belt formed by pairs of
circular rings connected round the whole profile of the bottle with the
connection of both pairs of rings defined by a cutting guide for
separating the bottle in an upper section and mid section and a lower
section. The vertical section of the circular rings is therefore, a
section of circumference which will be defined on the basis of the
profile of the plastic bottle.

[0020]The structure of the plastic bottle comprises three sections joined
by two pairs of rings forming a single part. These two pairs of rings
divide the bottle in the following manner:

[0021]Upper section, formed by: the upper part of the bottle termed lid.

[0022]Mid section, formed by: the mid part of the bottle termed skirt.

[0023]Lower section, formed by: the lower part of the bottle termed
container.

[0024]The two sections, upper and lower section are designed to have
printed material placed on their external surface. This printed matter,
normally in colour, may consist of decorative, educational, informative,
advertising or promotional motives.

[0025]When the liquid content in the bottle has been consumed, the three
sections of the bottle are designed to be easily separated by mechanical
cutting of the structure into two parts. The two mechanical cuts would be
made by the user with a sharp object or knife using the connection of the
two rings as a cutting guide. Having made these cuts, the two or three
sections would be separated.

[0026]The lower section of the bottle would become a container. This
container may be designed in the form and appearance of a traditional
glass, or it may have the form and appearance of a container. Other forms
and appearances may be used for the lower section termed container.

[0027]The container, as it is plastic, is designed to be washable and
usable for a long period of time. The size and form of the container
shall depend on the design of the bottle and the amount of liquid to be
stored in the bottle.

[0028]As the container has printed material on its external surface which
makes it an attractive, useful and practical object, the consumer would
be encouraged to conserve it for future use instead of throwing it away.

[0029]The upper section, lid, is a complement to the container used to
cover and protect its content. As it is plastic, the lid is designed to
be washable and usable for a long period of time.

[0030]As the lid has printed material on its external surface which makes
it an attractive, useful and practical object, the consumer would be
encouraged to conserve it for future use instead of throwing it away.

[0031]By converting the plastic bottle into two useful objects, the
consumer would be encouraged to conserve these objects instead of
throwing them away, in this way extending the useful life of most of the
plastic bottle and in doing so extending its life cycle.

[0032]The only part of the plastic bottle to be discarded is the mid part
of the bottle termed the skirt. The skirt represents a reduced percentage
of the total plastic structure of the bottle and has the tremendous
advantage of being hollow and open at both ends, thus it will be easy to
compact in the waste handling process.

[0033]The product labels and bar codes are printed on or affixed to the
skirt part. This means that 100% of the external surface of the container
and the lid may be used for the printing of decorative, educational,
informative, advertising and promotional motives.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION

[0034]According to the foregoing, the plastic industry would not have to
alter in any way its present industrial production process for
conventional plastic bottles in order to produce the bottle which is the
object of this invention.

[0035]If the multipurpose plastic bottle were manufactured using the PET
method, it would only require the design of a mould which would define
the outline of the bottle.

[0036]Following the manufacturing process the bottle is transferred to the
xerographic colour printing process

ADVANTAGES

[0037]The plastic bottle which is the object of the invention has the
following advantages:

1.--The plastic multipurpose bottle does not change the concept and use of
the plastic bottle but rather adds a considerable environmental and
social advantage to it.2.--The plastic multipurpose bottle is designed to
be manufactured using existing mass production methods.3.--The plastic
multipurpose bottle may be used in a conventional manner to package,
conserve, transport, handle, sell and consume liquids.4.--The external
surface of the container and the lid may be used for the printing in all
colours of decorative, educational, informative, advertising and
promotional motives.5.--The consumer would receive along with its liquid
content a practical container and lid with each bottle.6.--The multiple
forms of the container can be adapted to various uses given to it by the
end user.7.--If the lid is designed to fit loosely over the container
with its screw closure in place, it protects the content of the container
from dust, insects or any other environmental contamination.8.--If the
lid is designed to fit firmly on the container, it becomes a useful
container for conserving solids or liquids.9.--With the bottle in two
parts, the content kept in the container is easily accessible by
unscrewing the screw closure.10. When the multipurpose bottle is empty,
it may be filled and reused as a conventional bottle.11.--The practical
and useful container and lid will encourage the end user to keep them,
thus achieving instant recycling of the plastic content of the bottle and
considerably reducing the final amount of plastic waste collected and
treated by the health authorities.12.--The only part of the bottle to be
discarded, that is the skirt, is hollow and open at both ends, this means
that it is easily compacted in the waste handling process.13.--With this
instant domestic recycling of the plastic content of the bottle, the
public obtains large quantities of plastic glasses resulting in a
reduction in the demand for traditional glasses, generating substantial
savings in the energy and raw materials currently used in the manufacture
of these articles.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038]The present descriptive report is complemented by a set of plans
illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, but one which is in
no way restrictive.

[0039]FIG. 1 shows a complete plastic bottle. It is a plastic bottle made
in one piece.

[0040]FIG. 2 shows a belt in which two joined rings may be seen defining a
cutting guide.

[0041]FIG. 3 shows a bottle cut and separated into its three sections.

[0042]FIG. 4 shows the lower section of the bottle. This lower section
termed container has the form of a traditional glass.

[0043]FIG. 5 shows the container in the form of a traditional glass with
the lid in place. The lid is designed to fit comfortably on the glass.
This figure shows the result of separating the lid and the container
incorporated in the bottle structure, both converted into useful objects.

[0044]FIG. 6 shows the lower section of the bottle. This lower section
termed container has the form of a receptacle.

[0045]FIG. 7 shows the container in the form of a receptacle with the lid
in place. The lid is designed to fit firmly on the lower ring of the
lower belt. This figure shows the result of separating the lid and the
container incorporated in the structure of the bottle, both converted
into useful objects.

[0046]FIG. 8 shows the skirt, when it has been separated from the lid of
the container, which is hollow and open at both ends.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0047]The plastic multipurpose bottle has several specially designed
characteristics. Below a more detailed description is provided referring
to the figures and the numbers.

[0048]FIG. 1 shows the complete plastic bottle. It is also possible to
observe an upper belt (5) and a lower belt (7). These two belts (5,7)
divide the bottle into three sections. The figure also shows a screw
closure (1) a lid (2), an upper ring (3) of the upper belt (5), a lower
ring (4) of the upper belt (5), a skirt (6), an upper ring (8) of the
lower belt (7), a lower ring (9) of the lower belt (7) and a container
(10).

[0049]FIG. 3 shows the bottle separated in its three sections. The upper
part termed the upper section (11), the mid part termed mid section (12)
and the lower part termed lower section (13). The lower part represents a
container (10).

[0050]When the liquid content of the bottle has been consumed, the
complete bottle is designed to be easily separated into three sections by
means of mechanical cuts. By making these cuts in the belts (5, 7) the
upper section (11) is separated from the mid section (12) and the mid
section (12) from the lower section (13).

[0051]The upper section (11), lid (2), see FIG. 3, is designed to be
separated from the mid section (12), skirt (6), see FIG. 3, by means of
cutting with a knife or any other sharp object round the upper belt (5)
with the aid of a cutting guide (17) shown in FIG. 2. The lower section
(13), container (10), see FIG. 3, is designed to be separated from the
mid section (12), skirt (6), see FIG. 3, by cutting with a knife or any
other sharp object round the lower belt (7) with the help of a cutting
guide (17), see FIG. 2.

[0052]A belt (5, 7) see FIG. 2, comprises two circular rings (3, 4, 8, 9)
connected around its entire profile. The cutting process is designed to
be made in the centre connection of these two rings termed cutting guide
(17), see FIG. 2.

[0053]When the three sections are separated, the lower section (13)
becomes a container (10). The container (10) may be manufactured in the
form and appearance of a traditional glass (14), see FIG. 4, or it may
have the form of a container (15), see FIG. 6. Other forms and aspects
may be used for the lower section termed container (10).

[0054]The container (10) is designed to have printed material on its
external surface.

[0055]When the mid section (12), termed skirt (6), has been separated from
the container (10) and from the lid (2), see FIG. 8, it presents a hollow
object open at both ends, which is very flexible and light, this is the
only part of the bottle designed to be discarded. As the skirt (6) is
flexible it is easy to compact and compress and therefore the volume of
plastic waste is small.

[0056]The upper section (11) of the bottle has a lid incorporated in its
design (2). The conventional lid closure of the bottle may also be used
and is not discarded. In order to better comprehend this invention, this
lid closure is a screw closure (1), see FIG. 1. It is understood for the
purpose of the invention that any type of bottle lid (1) may be used.

[0057]The lid (2) is designed to cover and protect the content of the
container (10).

[0058]The lid (2) will be fitted comfortably on and round the upper edge
of the container (10) see FIG. 5. This type of lid (2) with its screw
closure (1) when in place would protect the contents of the container
(10) from insects, dust and any other environmental contaminant. The lid
(2) would be easily separated from the container in order to drink from
it or fill it or for other uses.

[0059]The screw closure (1) may be removed if the content of the container
is to be consumed with a straw, facilitating this action.

[0060]If the lid (2) is pressed downwards on the container (10) the upper
ring (3) of the upper belt (5) see FIG. 3, will fit firmly on the lower
ring (9) of the lower belt (7) see FIG. 3, forming a connection between
the container and the lid (16) see FIG. 7, The firmly fitted lid (2)
would be easily extracted by the user. This type of lid (2) would convert
the container (10) into a practical and useful container (15) for
conserving solids and liquids.

[0061]The screw closure (1) see FIG. 7, may be withdrawn in order to
facilitate access and service of the container content (10).

[0062]When the lid (2) and the container (10) incorporated in the
structure of the bottle are separated, both become useful supplementary
objects as may be seen in FIGS. 5 and 7. The container (10) and the lid
(2) convert the empty bottle into an extremely useful utensil for the
consumer.